Facing a $16-billion deficit, the Ontario government announced it will stop funding a handful of medical services currently covered by the public health insurer. This should come as no surprise, as it has become the norm in Ontario as well as other Canadian provinces. This is because cost-containment strategies such as rationing access to medical services are intrinsic characteristics of single-payer health insurance.
health care costs
January 18, 2012
2:00AM
As the premiers meet this week in Victoria, a number of provinces are clearly distressed about the federal governments plan to reduce the automatic annual increase in health transfers from the current six per cent to the rate of economic growth starting in 2017-18. While the announcement has not been applauded by most premiers and their respective health ministers, it is long overdue.
December 10, 2011
2:00AM
When provincial and territorial health ministers recently met in Halifax to discuss the 2004 federal-provincial-territorial agreement on health transfers, which is set to expire in 2014, the resulting news reports simply reinforced the status quo. The provinces expect more money for health care from Ottawa.
November 30, 2011
2:00AM
The true cost of Medicare for individuals and families in Canada is often misunderstood, with many people thinking its either free or covered by our provincial health insurance premiums.
This misconception has many sources. In part, it stems from the fact that health care consumption is free at the point of use, leading many to grossly underestimate the actual cost of care delivered. Furthermore, health care is financed through general government revenues, rather than financed through a dedicated tax, further blurring the true dollar cost of the service.
November 6, 2011
2:00AM
Whenever talk of health care reform arisesand praise for European countries that combine universal coverage with more private sector involvementa reflex inevitably kicks in. For some, it seems more privately-delivered or privately-insured health care is a policy choice akin to religious heresy. Its almost as if government delivery and government insurance were an 11th Commandment: Thou Shalt Only Provide Health Care via Taxes and the Public Sector.
September 14, 2009
2:00AM
The true cost of Medicare for individuals and families in Canada is often misunderstood with many people thinking its either free or covered by what we pay for our provincial health insurance coverage. It is critically important however, that Canadians understand the true cost of Medicare. Armed with a more meaningful estimate, Canadians will be able to better assess whether or not they are receiving value for their health care dollars.